Purchasing A Home With A Septic Tank - Dos And Dont's

By:


There are many homes across the United States that have septic tanks and they do not use the public waste disposal system. A septic tank is a private onsite system that collects the waste from your home including the sink, toilets and showers. The waste is accumulated in the septic tank which holds the solids back while the effluent is released into the soil on the property. If the system is properly designed it should easily give you complaint free service for 25 years. The system consists of a septic tank and drain fields which are hidden and expensive. Thus they need proper examining. Here is a list of do's and don'ts

Don'ts

There is no reason why a house with a septic tank should ring alarm bells. The system if properly designed can be extremely efficient, so don't let the presence of a septic tank on the property dissuade you from purchasing the home.

Do's

However it is important to follow a set chronology of steps to ensure that the septic system is checked properly to avoid trouble and expensive repair work in the future. These steps include:

1. Ask As a home buyer it is imperative that you ask the seller certain questions about the septic tank. These should include the age of the property, was the property vacant or occupied, if it was occupied the occupants may be aware of potential problems. And if it was vacant for how long was it vacant, also you will have to ask the seller for how long he/she has owned the property.

Apart from these you will also need to get specific information about the septic system for instance ask about the location of the septic system. If the owner doesn't know where it is even after occupying the property for years it simply means that the tank has never been pumped which may be bad for the leach field. On the other hand if it has an easily accessed open cover it may mean that the tank is being pumped too often which may be a sign of trouble.

You will also have to ask questions about the size of the tank, whether it is made of steel or concrete and if there are separate drywells and seepage pits. Also inquire about the service and/or repair history of the system. You should also ask about the last the time the tank was pumped.

2. Inspection You don't have to believe everything that the seller tells you; visually inspect the site for trouble. For instance smelly areas, wet areas, rocky areas and recent excavations may all be tell tale signs of trouble. Look for sewage overflow conditions by walking through the entire area.

These two steps are vital if you are purchasing a home with a septic tank and not performing them could mean costly repair and septic tank maintenance work in the future.

About the Author:
This part is important, so pay attention

Go to my website right now to learn about septic systems. While you are there you might learn a thing or two about sewage grinder pump as well. Sign up for my free Septic Tank Secrets newsletter.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Home-and-Family Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.